Are you craving a better work-life balance than what your typical 9-to-5 is giving you? Perhaps you’re a military wife who is tired of quitting one job after the next because of relocation. Maybe you’re a travel enthusiast who wants to keep traveling and not have to worry about being tied down by work.
Whatever it may be, being your own boss is a lifestyle that will flex conveniently for you.
The digital nomad life has grown in popularity and if it’s been on your bucket list to work from anywhere in the world, then working online is your best bet.
Gone are the days when you need to sleeplessly juggle your 9-5 with daily errands, family demands, or only having one week of vacation for an entire year.
I hope you’re ready to dig in because the secret is out. Here are 5 hacks to help you live the digital nomad dream!
Life Hack 1: Give Yourself the Benefit of Success (Not Fear)
Your mindset will make or break your path to success as a digital nomad. Are you going to allow fear to hold you back, or will you take this opportunity to challenge those negative thoughts?
For many, the thought of leaving a stable job for work on the road is stressful. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Acknowledge Your Feelings But Keep Moving Forward
It’s essential to tune in to your innermost self and ask the question, “Are my fears real, or are they false myths about something I have yet to discover?”
Most of the time, it all comes down to the fear of uncertainty.
“Will I actually find a job that allows me to travel?“
“Am I going to be able to afford to live on the road?“
“What if I fail?“
These are some of the most common questions that come to mind for those just starting in their digital nomad journey.
But whether you’re exploring a new career path, you lack the experience, or you’ve been working remotely for a while and you don’t know how to get your desired results – not knowing the answers is okay.
The fear of the unknown is a struggle for many, and hesitation is a natural reaction to uncertainty.
Anything new and unfamiliar will always trigger a red flag in your brain as a warning sign to stop whatever it is that you’re doing.
Feelings of anxiety don’t need to paralyze you. Instead, acknowledge that these uncertainties are opportunities that come with change. It’s that change that will help you breakthrough that glass ceiling you’ve put over yourself.
Remember: doing things that scare you is the fastest way to grow as an individual, freelancer, virtual assistant, entrepreneur, digital nomad – you name it!
The unknown is a scary place, and most of the time, people let that fear hold them back from tapping into their full potential of living their best life.
If becoming a digital nomad and working from anywhere in the world is truly your dream, here’s your sign that you CAN make it a reality.
Life Hack 2: Success Begins With Your Attitude – Show Up and Get Going
As a digital nomad, the reality is that most people won’t understand why you’d want to travel with no home base constantly. Many will question your financial situation, and most will think, “what the heck does she do for work?”
People will try and tell you that you need to “find a real job,” that you need years of experience to find online work, or try to talk you out of the lifestyle.
My advice to you is to stay strong and keep showing up for yourself.
The reality is that online business owners don’t care if your degree matches the job description or how many years of experience you have. They care about whether or not you can do the work and do it well.
Don’t get me wrong – many successful digital nomads started their careers knowing a lot about their work, but others had NO CLUE.
Instead, they find an online course about something they’re interested in, they do the work, and go all in.
Many people who work remotely are self-taught, and they learn as they go, and they’re JUST AS successful as those who already have experience.
It is okay NOT to have it figured out 100% of the time.
Your most significant chance for success happens when you take action and show up fully committed to getting things done.
You’re never going to feel ready for that job or that project, but you have to trust that you are more than capable of doing it and go for it. You will learn everything you need to know along the way.
No business owner expects you to know everything about everything. Trust that you can bring the skills needed to the table, or you will learn how.
Life Hack 3: Accountability Will Keep Your Progress on Track
As you find your footing in the digital nomad world, it’s important to connect and surround yourself with people who challenge you to get things done and encourage you to keep going when you don’t feel like it.
Working remotely can be challenging and sometimes lonely. Having connections helps you to break through those barriers and gives you a different perspective on things.
Join Facebook groups dedicated to your niche and engage with those people. Leave comments, ask questions, apply for jobs if you fit the description.
Networking is key. If you can build your network, get yourself an accountability buddy, and engage with like-minded people, you are already one step ahead of the game.
You can’t reach the top by yourself.
Having a community of people to back you, support you, and encourage you to keep going is important for your success. This is why I created my free Facebook group for virtual assistants to connect and keep each other accountable.
Your accountability partner(s) will help you avoid your excuses and keep you on track towards your goals.
Life Hack 4: Invest in Yourself
People easily brush off the topic of investing in themselves but don’t quite understand how important it is or even how to do it.
Find a Mentor
When you’re stuck in one place, the most straightforward solution is to learn from people who have done it before. A mentor can tell you how to move forward and what you can do to level up because they’ve already been there, done that!
You might be loving life in your current situation, but you want to get to the next level. Finding a mentor, getting coaching from someone, or investing in a training program will help guide you towards those steps to reach your goals.
If digital nomad life is the life for you, it won’t take you long until you realize the importance of investing in yourself. This is what will grow your results in performance, profitability, and skills capability.
If becoming a digital nomad is a goal for you, find someone already living that lifestyle.
Join Facebook groups for the specific cities you want to visit and engage with people there. Ask questions, network with other digital nomad communities. People want to help you!
Take an Online Course
Maybe you’re wondering how to turn your corporate job into a remote job, or you’re having a hard time finding and landing the same job offers virtually.
If you ever feel that you have some skills but don’t know how to bridge the gap of where you want to work or what you want to do, consider investing in a course to learn new skills.
Your biggest asset is developing yourself.
Bridging the gap by taking some courses or lessons is essential to equip you with the skills you need to work online and find jobs with legit clients.
Online courses range from individual classes about social media management and PR to comprehensively packed programs like my signature course, 90 Day VA. I give you a step-by-step blueprint from gaining the skills to land virtual jobs and grow into your niche based on your online expertise or interests.
It never hurts to do a quick Google search to see what options are available to you.
Life Hack 5: Life Lessons Are Your Strengths, Value Them
Thinking you have nothing new to offer is just not true. It’s time to snap out of that mindset!
Think about all the things that you’ve experienced in your life. The failures, the successes, the big life changes – you’ve learned something from each one.
Start tapping into that wisdom you’ve gained through your life journey. The lessons you’ve learned through your failures and successes may be just the thing you can provide to a business owner.
Your life lessons are what make you, you.
There’s No Such Thing As Too Much Competition
A question I get ALL THE TIME is whether or not virtual assisting is too competitive.
I’m here to tell you that it’s an absolute myth to think that everyone has already taken all the jobs out there.
Your story, your background, your life journey are what sets you apart from everyone else. People will decide to work with you for different reasons. Not everyone will be the right fit for you and vice versa.
It’s important to realize that many people get caught up in their work and don’t realize that they can hire someone.
Your strengths could be what a client desperately needs or what another client may want to learn.
Being a digital nomad comes with new and unfamiliar territory that needs to be discovered and conquered.
Take these life hacks and put them into play.
Change is scary and uncomfortable, but you are one step closer to where you want to be by taking your first step.
If the digital nomad route is the path for you, virtual assisting is one way to do it. I teach you everything you need to know to start your VA journey today.
Check out my free masterclass to see if it’s the right fit for you.
Remember, it’s totally okay not to know how things will go. But success is up to you by showing up and taking that first step.
In 90 Day VA, Esther teaches her students how to research and repurpose current content into blogs for the VAI website. Michael is the student we’ve chosen this week to feature what she’s learned in the course. Get to know her:
Michael is a virtual assistant who is passionate to help entrepreneurs navigate and expand beyond their horizons.
She grew up moving around different continents and embraces a multicultural perspective in life.
She has a drive for excellence and efficiency, and when she’s not helping her clients build bridges towards their business dreams or spare their time from work to enjoy life more, she loves to paint portraits and play the piano at her leisure.
She’s a member of 90 Day VA and assists with everything from day-to-day business management needs, online business presence support including content repurposing, and social media management.
To see all the services she offers and how she can help you today, check out her business page here.
